Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers

December 26, 2012

This morning's light freeway traffic and no-hassle parking were testament to how many people in Sacramento aren't working between Christmas and New Year's Day. The Legislature and their 1,100 or so staff are off. Sacramento State's fall semester ended. Many private businesses also close for the holidays.

But what about the region's biggest employer, the vast state bureaucracy? From Caltrans engineers to Franchise Tax Board accountants to Employment Development Department staff, Sacramento County is Workplace Central to about 61,000 of state workers, many of those jobs within walking distance of the Capitol.

Our sense from our drive in is that like everywhere else, many state employees take leave during the holidays. Is that what you're seeing? And is the week from Christmas through New Year's Day a reprieve or a hassle compared with the rest of the year?

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About The State Worker

The Author

Jon Ortiz launched The State Worker blog and a companion column in 2008 to cover state government from the perspective of California government employees. Every day he filters the news through a single question: "What does this mean for state workers?" Join Ortiz for updates and debate on state pay, benefits, pensions, contracts and jobs. Contact him at (916) 321-1043 and at jortiz@sacbee.com.

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